Two miniature child's playthings, a pillow and a wooden shoe, and a box used by a young Jewish Polish refugee 2012.249.3 d front
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Washington, United States
Miniature pillow and wooden shoe in a small perfume box used by Edwin (Edik) Goldberg while confined to a bed with spinal tuberculosis in a labor camp in Siberia, from summer 1940 to August 1944 when he died at age 6. In 1939, Edik’s father, Emil, was called up by the Polish Army, leaving Edik and his mother, Elze, in Bielitz-Biala, Poland. Emil and Elze agreed to meet in Lvov (Lviv, Ukraine), if anything happened while he was gone. On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland. On September 17, the Soviet Union annexed eastern Poland, including Lvov. At the end of 1939, Elze and Edik made their way to Lvov and were reunited with Emil. In June 1940, the family was transported to western Siberia. Two year old Edik and his parents, Emil and Elze, arrived at the Siberian camp in June 1940. Not long after their arrival, Edik contracted tuberculosis. No adequate treatments were available in the primitive conditions of the camp, where his father worked as a dentist and his mother as a nurse. On August 1, 1944, Edik died.The war ended in May 1945. In May 1946, Emil and Elze returned to Poland.
Miniature pillow and wooden shoe in a small perfume box used by Edwin (Edik) Goldberg while confined to a bed with spinal tuberculosis in a labor camp in Siberia, from summer 1940 to August 1944 when he died at age 6. In 1939, Edik’s father, Emil, was called up by the Polish Army, leaving Edik and his mother, Elze, in Bielitz-Biala, Poland. Emil and Elze agreed to meet in Lvov (Lviv, Ukraine), if anything happened while he was gone. On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland. On September 17, the Soviet Union annexed eastern Poland, including Lvov. At the end of 1939, Elze and Edik made their way to Lvov and were reunited with Emil. In June 1940, the family was transported to western Siberia. Two year old Edik and his parents, Emil and Elze, arrived at the Siberian camp in June 1940. Not long after their arrival, Edik contracted tuberculosis. No adequate treatments were available in the primitive conditions of the camp, where his father worked as a dentist and his mother as a nurse. On August 1, 1944, Edik died.The war ended in May 1945. In May 1946, Emil and Elze returned to Poland.
- Title: Two miniature child's playthings, a pillow and a wooden shoe, and a box used by a young Jewish Polish refugee 2012.249.3 d front
- Provenance: The playthings and box were donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2012 by Leah Whiteman, the sister of Edwin Goldberg., The playthings and box were donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2012 by Leah Whiteman, the sister of Edwin Goldberg.
- Subject Keywords: Forced labor--Soviet Union--Biography. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Soviet Union--Personal narratives. Jewish children in the Holocaust--Soviet Union--Biography. Jews, Polish--Soviet Union--Biography. World War, 1939-1945--Conscript labor--Soviet Union--Personal narratives. World War, 1939-1945--Prisoners and prisons, Soviet., Forced labor--Soviet Union--Biography. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Soviet Union--Personal narratives. Jewish children in the Holocaust--Soviet Union--Biography. Jews, Polish--Soviet Union--Biography. World War, 1939-1945--Conscript labor--Soviet Union--Personal narratives. World War, 1939-1945--Prisoners and prisons, Soviet.
- Type: Toys, Toys
- Rights: Permanent Collection, Permanent Collection
- External Link: See the full record at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, See the full record at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
- Medium: a. Small square, light brown cardboard box base for lid (b.) with an extended lip on the bottom. The exterior is covered in brown paper that wraps over the top rim. A square piece of paper is glued to the underside. b. Small square, light brown cardboard telescoping lid for box (a.) The exterior is covered with orange paper, printed with a black ink pattern of rectangles and squares and Cyrillic script. Adhered to the lid is yellow paper, printed with the image of a white columned archway in the General Staff and Ministries building in Leningrad. c. Miniature, rectangular, firm dark blue velveteen cloth pillow with gold colored, twisted thread trim along the edges and a tassel in one corner. The stuffed pillow bulges outward on both sides. A clutch pin is inserted on the back. d. Miniature, finished light brown wooden clog with an upward curving pointed toe, flat sides, and heel with a carved indentation for a foot hole. The shoe is decorated with a blue ink hand drawn diamond outline with pink painted loops and 3 pink dots. A pink line is painted around the foot indent, which is filled with the unraveled end of the pink thread that is inserted through the back of the heel., a. Small square, light brown cardboard box base for lid (b.) with an extended lip on the bottom. The exterior is covered in brown paper that wraps over the top rim. A square piece of paper is glued to the underside. b. Small square, light brown cardboard telescoping lid for box (a.) The exterior is covered with orange paper, printed with a black ink pattern of rectangles and squares and Cyrillic script. Adhered to the lid is yellow paper, printed with the image of a white columned archway in the General Staff and Ministries building in Leningrad. c. Miniature, rectangular, firm dark blue velveteen cloth pillow with gold colored, twisted thread trim along the edges and a tassel in one corner. The stuffed pillow bulges outward on both sides. A clutch pin is inserted on the back. d. Miniature, finished light brown wooden clog with an upward curving pointed toe, flat sides, and heel with a carved indentation for a foot hole. The shoe is decorated with a blue ink hand drawn diamond outline with pink painted loops and 3 pink dots. A pink line is painted around the foot indent, which is filled with the unraveled end of the pink thread that is inserted through the back of the heel.
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